【Native Speaker每日综合训练—37系列】【37-10】文史哲

pennyz

内容：Pennyz  编辑：pennyz

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dear little friends,i am penny in charge of the literature/history/philosophy post....(lhp post )
sorry for delaying posting,next round we still have lhp post on saturday and tech post on monday.
today's topic is diverse as usual.unlike other parts,diversity has been the characteristics of the lhp post,right?(病句==不过我改对了就会变冗长，大家包涵）

in speed part:
we will learn that repeating one-year middle school can boost later academic and social progress.
the skyrocketing beef price and probable cause

in obstacle:
we have political critic article,similar to the one we have analysed in our new program:the election in indian.
the comparision article,the hard part is to tell the difference between different parties and candidates and also their characteristics and strategies.
(hope my poor english will not hinder your understanding= =)

---

Part I: Speaker

Being Modest and Boastful

Hans: Well, I think the choice is clear. I think we should hire Clark.
Freddie: To me, the choice is clear, too, but I think that choice is Paul. Both Paul and Clark are qualified for the job, but Clark is a blowhard. He was too full of himself.
Hans: Clark may come off as a little overconfident, but he makes a good impression. He would make a much better rep than Paul. Paul was just too low-key and timid.
Freddie: Paul wasn’t timid at all. He was modest and self-deprecating, but he also had a quiet confidence. He wasn’t trying too hard to impress, like Clark was.
Hans: Clark is the kind of person who stands out in a room and gets noticed. That’s what we want in a rep trying to get new clients.
Freddie: I found Clark to be overbearing. Paul, on the other hand, had a way with him. He exuded confidence without having to resort to blowing his own horn.
Hans: I see we’re at loggerheads about this. What do you suggest?
Freddie: Let’s ask them both to lunch and ask Monique to join us. She’s done a lot of hiring and has good judgment.
Hans: You mean you want Monique to make the call so neither of us will be blamed for picking the wrong person.
Freddie: I always thought you were quick on the uptake.

Source: ESLPOD
http://www.eslpod.com/website/show_podcast.php?issue_id=15212992


[Rephrase 1 20:13]

pennyz

Part II: Speed

Your Kid's Brain Might Benefit From an Extra Year in Middle School

Repeating eighth grade can give students time to mature academically and developmentally.

JESSICA LAHEY    MAY 29 2014, 3:01

[Time 2]

The practice of voluntarily delaying school transitions, either by red-shirting kindergarten, repeating twelfth grade, or introducing a gap year between high school and college, is a well-established tradition in the United States. The extra year gives students time to mature athletically, academically, or developmentally.

Although kindergarten entrance and the transition from high school to college have long been seen as the ideal times to take an extra year, recently eighth grade has been seen as an opportune time for kids to catch up with—or maybe even gain an advantage over—their peers.
Sports coaches have debated and defended their stances on voluntary repetition of eighth grade for sports-related reasons for years—most believe it offers a real athletic advantage. But the decision to repeat eighth grade is increasingly becoming an academic choice for some students. The tantalizing lure of “stronger, larger, faster, and smarter” has not been lost on academically-minded parents, and as the pace of American education gets more intense, some have opted to give their kids an extra year between middle and high school. An informal poll reported by the Wall Street Journal found that “74 percent of 313 respondents said they would consider having their children repeat a grade, even if school officials said the student could be promoted.”

Some parents cite increasing pressure on middle school children to distinguish themselves earlier and earlier for college admissions. Others point to the demands of standardized testing. Most understand that this heightened rigor, whether from new Common Core State Standards or pressure for college admissions, only increases with each passing year of school. They fear that if their child is not fully prepared for those demands, high school and college will be a Sisyphean endeavor.

[287 words]

[Time 3]

The recent push for increased academic rigor also means kids need more well-developed executive-functioning skills, or the ability organize, plan, schedule, and self-regulate. These skills originate in the prefrontal cortex, one of the last areas of the brain to develop, and are vital to student success, particularly as students shift from the relatively low organizational demands of elementary school to the more complicated an onerous demands of middle school. Ellen Galinsky, author of Mind in the Making, notes, “Executive-function skills predict children’s success in life and school” because “they enable us to control ourselves, to reflect deeply, and to consider things from multiple points of view.” These skills vary a lot from student to student in middle school, particularly those who struggle with its increased demands. This time can be incredibly stressful for kids are unprepared for the increased academic and organizational pressure, and this, too, can slow down the development of executive functioning skills. An additional year of middle school, with its lower stress and relatively relaxed academic rigor, can be an appealing option to these students and their parents.

The available research on the effects of grade repetition is largely based on cases of involuntary grade retention and probably has limited relevance in discussions of the relatively new trend of voluntary repetition. That said, according to areport on all grade repeaters—mainly involuntary, but including some voluntary—compiled by UNESCO’s International Academy of Education, a small percentage of students repeat a grade in any given year in the United States. “15-30 percent repeat at least one grade by age 15,” and in a “national sample of high school sophomores (age 15), 16 percent of the white boys, 21 percent of the black boys, 10 percent of the white girls, and 17 percent of the black girls had repeated at least one grade.”

[304 words]

[Time 4]

Opponents of voluntary grade repetition point to the cost to the many in order to benefit the few. It costs taxpayer money to educate students twice, and most districts’ budget projections do not account for voluntary grade repetition. As one critic of voluntary grade repetition wrote, “That we are all paying for successful students to repeat a grade in a public school is bad practice and an abuse of public funds. Add this one to the long list of policies that denies protection of taxpayer investment in education.”UNESCO agrees. “Grade repetition represents inefficiency and wastage of resources for society, but its voluntary forms may be beneficial to students in certain circumstances,” its report said.

When I spoke with one of my former students and his parents about the choice to repeat eighth grade, they were overwhelmingly enthusiastic about the experience. Sam Strohbehn is now a freshman at Hanover High School in Hanover, NH; last year was his fourth year in middle school. His parents pushed for the voluntary repeat due to his relatively young age, and at first, he refused. But he eventually agreed, realizing that repeating eighth grade would give him more than he would lose.

What made me change my mind was realizing that I could take a year and focus less on grades and more on learning new things. There was something appealing about learning just to learn rather than learning to get a grade.

Sam admits that his initial resistance was about social concerns: being one year behind his friends, and what they would think of his decision. But in the end, he said, “the pros definitely outweigh the cons.”

Sam’s mother, Judy, who had already seen two sons through high school, thought Sam needed more time before tackling new challenges in high school.

[298 words]

[Time 5]

Sam is our youngest boy, and the youngest child in his grade. We knew what was coming academically and socially, and that to navigate high school, he needed some time to become a mature learner, to appreciate all that high school was going to offer. Sam had not yet developed strong organizational techniques, study skills, and time management tools. When his teachers weighed in, they stressed that he simply needed more time. We were told to consider a gap year after high school, but decided not to wait and give him that time now.

When Sam finally entered high school this year, he had, according to his mother,…matured academically and socially. His study skills, writing, organizational skills, and diligence had all improved. Having this year to mature, helped give Sam confidence and more of a voice for himself. About halfway through his second eighth grade year, Sam told his mother, ‘Mom, I think every student should do an extra year between 8th grade and high school.’ I asked why? Sam said, ‘Well, I think everyone would do better in high school if they had another year to prepare.’ I knew at that moment that we had made the right decision...that Sam could see what this extra year, this gift of time, was going to do for him.

Sam clearly benefitted from the gift of time his parents were willing and able to give him, and as his teacher, I loved seeing his growth first-hand. But as a teacher who has spent much of her career in the middle-school trenches, I wonder whether the solution to slow development lies in granting an extra year to a precious few or in redeveloping curricula to focus more on executive-function skills. Voluntary grade repetition is an attractive and useful Band-Aid for the few who can afford it, but for the rest of the American student population, it only draws attention to the gaping holes in the education we provide to the many.

[329 words]

Source: theatlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/05/repeating-the-8th-grade/371814/

Meat Prices Are Skyrocketing

And the drought is not to blame.

TANYA BASUMAY 30 2014, 3:45

[Warm up]
   If your plans for this weekend include barbecuing a platter of pork chops and sizzling some steaks, get ready to pay up: Meat prices have skyrocketed nearly 10 percent compared to this time last year.

Oddly, the rising prices come at a time when feed costs have fallen dramatically, which should bring meat prices down. Feed costs are markedly lower—almost $3 less—this year than they were last year, when they were noticeably up from a drought the year before. Yet shelf prices are still high.

Additionally, two factors that might seem like likely culprits—the drought affecting the western United States and an E. coli recall on beef—both haven't had much of an impact. The drought will likely raise meat prices down the road, but that hasn't happened yet: Feed and meat prices are set far in advance in the futures market. Last year was a good year weather-wise, so this year's prices remain unaffected. As for the E. coli scare: You'd think that the meat industry would be hard-pressed to sell beef to shoppers, bringing prices down. But consumers seem to be shrugging it off, and demand hasn't fallen.

So what is causing the spike in meat prices? The answer is consumers.

[206 words]

[Time 6]

“Consumers are feeling better about themselves and their income situation and willing to pay up for good meat,” says Bob Young, chief economist at the American Farm Bureau Federation. But, he says, there aren’t enough fancy cuts of meat to satisfy all the people who want them, which means grocery stores can hike up prices.

“I think that given the stronger demand, folks are going to find not quite the cut they want for the price they want,” Young said. “They might have to downmarket a bit.”

The high prices don't seem to be just a hiccup in the market, warns Young: Meat consumers should expect this price jump to be the norm for potentially three years.

“We’re talking at last 18, 24, maybe even 36 months,” Young said, almost apologetically. “It takes a long time for beef production to turn around. You’re talking 18 months before the calf is ready to breed, then 7 or 8 months before she delivers.

What about making up for the increased demand with supplies from abroad?

“We don’t tend to import high cut beef,” Young said. “We get a little bit of product from Australia. Mexico has pork but they’re going through drought issues. Canada has started doing some more slaughter but they don’t have much. Brazil has some disease issues.”

Young did say one thing to ease meat lovers’ anxiety: What little we do import tends to be hamburger meat, which means barbecue bashes featuring burgers may be cushioned from the pricing boom.

That said, steak tends to be all-American—and that means pricey.

“No one really grows steak the way we do,” Young said. “You can’t really go anywhere else for this. It’s the way our beef is raised: when you go out and want that nice, juicy steak, you need grain in that animal for that marbling and other flavorful properties.”

Americans also have some competition from emerging economies whose rising incomes and expanding palate mean a taste for some meaty fare.

“Our exports are doing reasonably well,” Young noted. “Japan, China, and a number of other markets have been pretty good to us. We’re at the stage where we’re exporting one in 10 animals. The U.S. has emerged as a strong meat exporter.”

Tofurky Tuesdays, anyone?

[383 words]

Source: theatlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/05/meat-prices-are-skyrocketing/371383/

pennyz

Part III: Obstacle

Will Le Pen Learn from an Italian Comedian’s Mistakes?

by Alexander Stille  May 28, 2014  

[Paraphrase 7]

The extraordinary success of Marine Le Pen’s National Front, in France, and of other right-wing, populist parties has, with good reason, been the main story of last weekend’s European Parliamentary elections. Running on an anti-euro, anti-immigration platform, Le Pen won a historic twenty-five per cent of the vote, handily outpolling France’s main conservative party, the U.M.P., which earned only twenty-one per cent, and trouncing the Socialist Party of President François Hollande, which received an alarmingly small fourteen per cent. But Sunday’s election also produced another surprising, historic result, which has received much less attention: in Italy, Matteo Renzi, of the Democratic Party, won forty-one per cent of the vote, the largest total ever for a left-of-center party in Italy, a curious countertrend on a day marked by the advance of the right.

Placed in juxtaposition, the result in Italy helps us to understand why the vote in France turned out as it did; the French election could serve as a sobering warning to Renzi about what may await him if he fails to live up to his promises.

Put simply, Renzi’s victory in Italy further highlights the distinctive failings of Hollande in France. Unlike Hollande, Renzi appears to grasp the urgency of the problems that his country is facing, and has acted in his first months in power to present a series of relatively far-reaching reforms to Italy’s dysfunctional political and economic system. Hollande, by contrast, has moved cautiously, with a series of half measures, often zigzagging with shifting poll numbers—first raising taxes, then lowering them, declaring war on finance, and trying to seal a pact with employers to kickstart France’s economy—and pleasing almost no one in the process. While many of Renzi’s proposals have been roundly criticized (especially by intellectuals on the left), voters clearly appreciated that he moved quickly and decisively, laying out a series of proposed reforms—of Italy’s electoral system, public administration, labor market, and justice and tax systems—and set specific deadlines for getting them through parliament.

The Democratic Party’s victory in Italy represents a remarkable comeback from its showing in national elections just over a year ago. Then, the party eked out a meagre victory against a surprisingly strong challenge from the populist Five-Star Movement, led by Beppe Grillo, a comedian. Indeed, the twenty-five per cent that Grillo won last year was much the kind of political earthquake that Le Pen’s victory this week has been in France, an expression of supreme popular dissatisfaction with the political establishment.

That the tables have turned is highly instructive. There are lessons here for insurgents and political purists, as well as incumbents.

If Grillo had chosen to, he could have forced the Democratic Party to put through a number of the reforms he had been pressing for, but the notion of compromising himself by negotiating with a traditional political party was unacceptable to him. Grillo refused any cooperation with the government, and punished anyone in his party who dissented. He limited himself to insulting his political opponents, calling the Democratic Party’s former secretary, Pier Luigi Bersani, a “dead man walking.” Renzi, by contrast, may have understood the success of Grillo’s movement better than its own leader did: Italians wanted change, and fast. Grillo came to appear purely negative; Renzi satisfied popular hunger for some kind of constructive action. Many of Grillo’s voters were not “anti-political” as much as they were fed up with politics as usual.

Clearly, there is something of this in the French vote, which has seen many moderate and formerly left-wing voters move toward the National Front. Polls indicate that Le Pen’s party has become the favorite of the French working class, and that significant numbers of Catholics, who had traditionally avoided it, also voted for the party for the first time. This both reflects the more moderate tone that Le Pen has adopted since taking over the party from her father, whose crude anti-immigrant rhetoric and Holocaust-minimizing statements made his party extremist and marginal, and her focus on economic issues—France’s steady deindustrialization and the sacrifices imposed by the economic unification of Europe. Most economists consider her proposed solutions—withdrawal from the euro zone and economic protectionism—likely to make France’s problems worse, but they appeal to the feeling of the moment.

The countries that have done the best in recent years are outside the euro zone and/or—as with Germany, Sweden, and Denmark—have undertaken painful structural reforms, finding a reasonable balance between a flexible job market, increased competitiveness, and the traditional security of the welfare state. In France, both Nicolas Sarkozy’s U.M.P. and Hollande’s Socialists have taken timid half steps in this direction, but have been unwilling to go all in. Meanwhile, unemployment, especially among the young, remains over ten per cent, economic growth is flat, and discontent grows.

As the rapid reversal between Grillo’s Five-Star Movement and Italy’s Democratic Party shows, a year is a long time in politics, and what goes up can come down, fast. Renzi seems to understand this, and remains in a hurry to translate his electoral success into legislative action. Incumbency is difficult, and he could find himself in Hollande’s unenviable position in a year or two. Renzi has also said that he will push the European Union to undertake significant changes as well. The crisis eating away at Europe’s weaker economies is the biggest threat to European unity. A system created to respond to political rather than economic logic needs fixing.Whether there is a long-term solution to this crisis may depend on the possibility of restoring some measure of economic growth to countries like France and Italy. While most of the public attention to Thomas Piketty’s “Capital in the Twenty-First Century” has been on his discussion of inequality and his proposal for a global wealth tax, in some ways, one of the book’s most important points is his conclusion that low growth—growth of about one per cent per year—has been the norm and not the exception throughout history, and that we can expect much more of the current low levels of growth among the most industrialized nations. As the Harvard economist Benjamin Friedman’s book “The Moral Consequences of Economic Growth” shows, societies that grow tend to be open and generous, and those that do not fall prey to xenophobia and authoritarianism. If they are both right, Europe’s governments have little margin for error. Marine Le Pen may reap the whirlwind or return to comparative obscurity. But the traditional parties must govern well—or we can expect to see more of what we saw, looking right, on Sunday.

[1114 words]

Source:Newyorker
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2014/05/will-le-pen-learn-from-an-italian-comedians-mistakes.html

pennyz

占个沙发~~
0b 8"26s
france        italy
1.Le pen        25%        4.Renzi(democratic party)        41%
2.ump        21%        5.Grillo(comedian)        21%
3.holla        14%               
Contrast:
First one:
3vs4:
Different action cause various results in election
Renzi:act quickly,more decisive
Holla:cautious,make no one happy
Warnings:if renzi can not live up to,the results may like holla
3 interpret 5
Public want change fast
The votes indicate the dissatisfactory for politics
1
The vote even come from Christians
Though the solutions she pose may cause more problems,but they appeal to the voters’ feelings.
The problems in euro zone:
Economic growth of countries like france and itatly.
Growth can lead to more open and generous circumstances,so there is little margin for these countries’ error.

疏离无罪

占个板凳
societies that grow tend to be open and generous, and those that do not fall prey to xenophobia and authoritarianism.
这句话读了三遍才懂，真是弱爆了，得回去在复习遍长难句了。


Speaker: Discussion about hiring one of two people,one is modest and another is boastful.
blowhard, come off as, timid, self-deprecating, brag,loggerheads,quick on the uptake.

01:52
Gap year is common in american schools.And eighth grade may be a good time both to physical and academical aspects.More parents are considering repeat a grade in middle school to let their children prepare better for the college admission.

01:21
Well-developed executive-functioning skills are needed by students.An additional year of middle school,with lower stree can help student to develop these skills better.

01:22
Opponents said that the repetition cost to the many in order to benefit the few.It is the wast of taxpayers' money.But a boy who repeat his eighth grade said that it really benifit him a lot.

01:19
Sam learned a lot necessary skills and becomed more mature in his second eighth grade.And he prepared better for the high school.But this is really an expensive and useful repetition,a few families can afford this.

02:20
The consumers' demand for good meat leads to the increasing price of meat.And meanwhile America is becoming a strong meat expoter.

10:34
政治文还是难
Main Idea: Le Pen should learn sth from the loss of Grillo
Recently Le Pen won the election in France and Matteo Renzi won the election in Itlay.The French election can be a warning to Renzi if he can not keep his promise.And the Itlay's election can tell us why the result in France can be this.
Renzi grasped the urgency of problems in Itlay and took immediate actions to try to solve these problems.In contrast,Hollande,who lose the election in France,has moved cautiously and had no good result.Although Renzi's measures are criticized by some people,voters are appreicated to his quick and decisive actions.
The competitor of Renzi,Grillo,refused cooperations and compromisition,by which he can put through several reforms he wanted.However,Renzi knew the movement leaded by Grillo better than his political opponents himself.Itlians wanted change as soon as possible.He satisfied the public hunger and won the election.
Clearly,the situation in Itlay is similar to the on in France.French people need changes,too.This is why many people voter for Le Pen's Party.Although the proposal of the party may lead to a worse situation,people want changes.The coutries that have done best in Europe are outside the EU and have taken painful reform.This is just the proposal of Le Pen' party.Other two parites have taken timid actions in the past and had a bad economy.Le Pen should change this situation,satisfied public's demand and meanwhile learn the lost of Grillo.
In Itlay,Renzi is keeping making changes both in Itlay and EU.Weak economy is the biggest threat to the organization.A system created to respond to political rather than economic logic needs to be fixed.
In France,with two latest books about economy,low growth may be norm in current age and only those societies do not struggle in xenophobia and authoritarianism and are open and generous can grow,which is contrast to the propasl of Le Pen's party.She should think more about this.

hawk！！！

刚刚做完今天的 明天就来了~~ 哈哈 真棒 谢谢LZ！

Speaker:

Time2: 1'50" 156 word/min

It is found that an extra year in middle school benefits the students physically and mentally. This method can help students catch up their peers or even have an advantage.

Time3: 1'49" 165 word/min

An extra year can cultivate students' ability, like organize, plan, schedule, and self-regulate. According to a research, there are some children have an extra year now.

Time4: 1'53" 152 word/min

Opponents think it is a waste of social resource to voluntarily repeat a grade. Advocators believe its pros outweigh cons, because it give students more time to achieve what they interest instead of grade.

Time5: 1'41" 195 word/min

Having a gap year before high school, Sam has improved his study skills, writing, organizational skills, and diligence. He became mature academically and socially. At present, he regard a gap year as a great choice.

In the last paragraph, the author mentioned some weaknesses, but, pitifully, I cannot understand…

Time6: 2'14" 171 word/min

Consumers demand for high-quality beef rises the price. It is estimated that only 24 month or more later the price will go back to normal. Although there are some beef exported, the proportion is not relatively great.

Obstacle: 6'48" 163 word/min

Le Pen should learn something from the loss of Grillo. Decesive measures must be taken, and his proposal must be puthed through.

哎 一心想着速度 几个人的关系没弄清楚。。。 失策 = =

pengruoyu0812

还以为今天有两份作业呢…………


Time2(1:54)
repeating a twelfth grade or having a gap year between high school and college will give students time to mature. Thus, many parents are willing to have their children repeat a year to ensure that their children are well prepared for college.

Time3(1:47)
the college life needs well-developed executive-function skills, which are not required in high school. A gap year can give children more time to gain these skills.
the finding that children will benefit from a gap year is based on a research.

Time4(1:41)
opponents says that repetition wastes resouces because tax payers will afford students twice, but many of opponents agree that students can benefit from this decision.
one of my students, who repeated, claimed that repetiton would give him more than he would lose.

Time5(1:47)
Sam repeated eighth grade and benefited a lot. But the author, as a teacher, wonders what teachers can provide with the gap students.

Time6(2:11)
the meat price is dramatically and the reason is consumers.
high demands and limited supplies make the price high, and it takes a long time for beef production to turn around. however, the man said they would not import meat because the quality is not guaranteed.

Obstacle(8:20)
Le pen won the election, while democratic in Italy won the elecion.
Renzi:act far-reaching reforms quickly.
Holl: cautious, half measures.
后面我就昏了……

cherry6891

占座~~~~~~~~~谢谢pennyz

Time2 2’02’’

Gap year after middle school is good for the development of the kids

Time3 2’01’’

Lower stress during gap year provide good opportunity for kids to develop executives-functioning skills which is vital to student success

Time4 1’55’’

Opponents said that voluntary grade repetition is a waste of taxpayer money

The experience of friend’s kid told author that repeating year gave more than lose to his kid because he learned just to learn than learn to get a grade

Time5 1’48’’

During gap year, Sam prepared himself for multi-skills and did a great job in high school

Time 6 3:40’’

Meat price have increased 10% compared to this time last year

Is the drought and E.coli the culprit?

Consumers have strong demand for quality meat

zhf99330128

占座+1！~~ 辛苦辛苦~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lap 6        00:02:16.86        00:13:33.53
Lap 5        00:01:28.64        00:11:16.66
Lap 4        00:02:25.03        00:09:48.02
Lap 3        00:02:10.93        00:07:22.98
Lap 2        00:02:27.60        00:05:12.04
Lap 1        00:02:44.43        00:02:44.43

小蘑菇开始打怪

占座！！
-------------
谢谢楼主。。越障真心放弃的节奏了。。

speaker:

the two person are discussing on which person should be hired

one of the candidates is over-confident but the other one is modest

it is hard to decide which one to pick so the two person choose to invite the third person to join them in the decision and the third person is experienced in hiring

rep: representative

low-key: may be too relaxed

brag about: she does not boast about she can do the job

make the call: make the decision

time2:

the middle year or gap year can make children do better in academic field than their peer

from the survey, more parents will consider having their children repeat a grade for the increasing pressure among children

time3:

because in the middle year, children will have less pressure, so it is better for them to build functional skills

some data about the percentage of students repeating a grade

time4:

some opponents say the repeating is a waste of money

in the parents eyes, the pros definitely outweigh the cons

time5:

sam think he benefit a lot from the gap year and he hope every student will have this experience

however, should all of us focus on the education of the middle year and miss the importance of the regular year

warm up:

two factors may contribute to the increase of the meat price: the drought and the recall

time6:

even through the meat price lift a lot, consumers do not want to stop the consumption of the meat

import meat from other countries

time7:

the election result in France

the candidate often comes up with many proposals

the democratic party’s victory in Italy represents a remarkable comeback from its showing in national elections just over a year ago

some of the proposed solutions may make the situation even worse

the election process is long and it will take long time to see the final result